Energy protecting device for aircraft

Abstract

An energy protecting device for three and four-engined aircraft includes a detecting unit configured to detect failure of each engine. A control unit is configured to provide a protective function by controlling maximum thrust of each engine. A triggering unit is configured to monitor a plurality of parameters and trigger the control unit to provide maximum thrust at predetermined conditions of the monitored parameters. An inhibiting unit is linked to the triggering unit and is configured to inhibit the protective function, when at least one of the engine on the wings of the aircraft has failed. The control unit is also configured to control the engines that have not failed to minimize thrust imbalance.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An energy protecting device for an aircraft having a fuselage and a wing on each side of the fuselage, with four engines arranged in pairs on each wing, said device comprising:
 a detecting unit configured to detect failure of each engine; 
 a control unit configured to provide a protective function by controlling maximum thrust of each engine; 
 a triggering unit configured to monitor a plurality of parameters and trigger said control unit to provide maximum thrust at predetermined conditions of said monitored parameters; and 
 an inhibiting unit linked to said triggering unit and configured to inhibit activation of said protective function, when the two engines arranged on a common wing of the aircraft have failed, 
 wherein said control unit is further configured to control the two engines that have not failed to minimize thrust imbalance of the aircraft fuselage upon triggering by the triggering unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said control unit, upon triggering, is further configured to control:
 when no engine has failed, all four engines; 
 when an outer engine has failed, two inner engines on either side of the fuselage; 
 when an inner engine has failed, two outer engines on either side of the fuselage; 
 when two outer engines have failed, two inner engines on either side of the fuselage; 
 when two inner engines have failed, two outer engines on either side of the fuselage; and 
 when an inner engine of a first wing and an outer engine of a second wing have failed, two engines that have not failed. 
 
     
     
       3. An energy protecting device for a three-engined aircraft having a fuselage and provided with one engine arranged on each wing and an additional engine arranged on the fuselage, said device comprising:
 a detecting unit configured to detect failure of each engine; 
 a control unit configured to provide a protective function by controlling maximum thrust of each engine; 
 a triggering unit configured to monitor a plurality of parameters and trigger said control unit to provide maximum thrust at predetermined conditions of said monitored parameters; and 
 an inhibiting unit linked to said triggering unit and configured to inhibit said protective function, when at least one of the engines which is arranged on the wings has failed, 
 wherein said control unit is further configured to control the engines that have not failed to minimize thrust imbalance of the aircraft fuselage upon triggering by the triggering unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said triggering unit is configured with a plurality of sensors to measure at least one of the following parameters: the incidence of the aircraft, the longitudinal attitude of the aircraft, the pitch speed of the aircraft, the speed of the aircraft and its deceleration rate, the Mach number of the aircraft, the position of the slats and flaps of the aircraft, the radio-altitude height of the aircraft, the position of a joystick and engine parameters to detect an engine failure. 
     
     
       5. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said triggering unit is further configured to trigger said control unit under the following simultaneous conditions:
 first conditions relating to a triggering need; and 
 second conditions relating to a triggering authorization. 
 
     
     
       6. The device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said first conditions are fulfilled according to at least one of the following conditions:
 the incidence of the aircraft is greater than or equal to a first incidence value and a low energy condition has been active for a predetermined duration; 
 the incidence of the aircraft is greater than or equal to a second predetermined incidence value; 
 an incidence protecting means is engaged and a control member of the aircraft is in a position close to the nose-up stop; 
 the attitude of the aircraft is greater than a predetermined attitude value and the control member is in a position close to the nose-up stop. 
 
     
     
       7. The device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said second conditions are fulfilled according to the following simultaneously verified conditions:
 the height of the aircraft with respect to the ground is greater than a predetermined height value at the time of the landing; 
 the Mach number of the aircraft is less than a predetermined Mach number value; and 
 a plurality of particular systems of the aircraft are valid. 
 
     
     
       8. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one operator unit configured to deactivate said protective function by an operator. 
     
     
       9. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said triggering unit is further configured to control, upon triggering, at least one of the engines that have not failed to provide maximum thrust for a takeoff or for a go-around. 
     
     
       10. An aircraft comprising a device as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       11. The device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said triggering unit is configured with a plurality of sensors to measure at least one of the following parameters: the incidence of the aircraft, the longitudinal attitude of the aircraft, the pitch speed of the aircraft, the speed of the aircraft and its deceleration rate, the Mach number of the aircraft, the position of the slats and flaps of the aircraft, the radio-altitude height of the aircraft, the position of a joystick and engine parameters to detect an engine failure. 
     
     
       12. The device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said triggering unit is further configured to trigger said control unit under the following simultaneous conditions:
 first conditions relating to a triggering need; and 
 second conditions relating to a triggering authorization. 
 
     
     
       13. The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said first conditions are fulfilled according to at least one of the following conditions:
 the incidence of the aircraft is greater than or equal to a first incidence value and a low energy condition has been active for a predetermined duration; 
 the incidence of the aircraft is greater than or equal to a second predetermined incidence value; 
 an incidence protecting means is engaged and a control member of the aircraft is in a position close to the nose-up stop; 
 the attitude of the aircraft is greater than a predetermined attitude value and the control member is in a position close to the nose-up stop. 
 
     
     
       14. The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said second conditions are fulfilled according to the following simultaneously verified conditions:
 the height of the aircraft with respect to the ground is greater than a predetermined height value at the time of the landing; 
 the Mach number of the aircraft is less than a predetermined Mach number value; and 
 a plurality of particular systems of the aircraft are valid. 
 
     
     
       15. The device as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising at least one operator unit configured to deactivate said protective function by an operator. 
     
     
       16. The device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said triggering unit is further configured to control, upon triggering, at least one of the engines that have not failed to provide maximum thrust for a takeoff or for a go-around. 
     
     
       17. An aircraft comprising a device as claimed in  claim 3 .